Yesterday we began walking through the Lord’s Prayer. And I know there are modern translations, but some passages of Scripture are stuck in my head in the King James Version, and this is one of them.

Our Father which art in heaven. God is in heaven. Let that sink in. Psalm 115:3 gives us the implications of that reality:

Our God is in the heavens, he does all that he pleases.

Psalm 115:3, ESV

God’s position has significant import. When Jesus prayed to our Father in Heaven, Jesus was on earth, not in Heaven as he had always been before the incarnation. Again Psalm 115 gives us insight into the impact of God’s position. In verse two, the nations ask Israel where their God is? In verse three, Israel answers, “In the heavens.” Verses 4-8 are a mantra of the futility of idols: they are made of silver and gold, the work of human hands, have mouths that do not speak, eyes that do not see, ears that do not hear, noses that do not smell, hands that do not feel and feet that do not walk.

Again, listen to the Psalmist.

O Israel, trust in the Lord! He is their help and their shield. O house of Aaron, trust in the Lord! He is their help and their shield. You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord! He is their help and their shield.

Psalm 115:9-11, ESV

The natural response to where God is leads us to trust! We can trust a God who is in the heavens! Jesus (of course) knew what he was doing when he taught us to pray. We pray to God, who is in the heavens, who does as he pleases. And Jesus is that God with eyes, ears, a nose, a mouth, hands and feet. Our God sees, hears, smells, speaks, touches and walks around. If you belong to Jesus, he is with you today. He is as close as the mention of his name. Yes, he is seated in Heaven at the right hand of the Father, but through the Spirit (remember yesterday?), he is present with you, and even living inside you!

The Psalmist ends Psalm 115 with promises. What a faithful God we serve!

The Lord has remembered us; he will bless us; he will bless the house of Israel; he will bless the house of Aaron; he will bless those who fear the Lord, both the small and the great.

May the Lord give you increase, you and your children! May you be blessed by the Lord, who made heaven and earth!

The heavens are the Lord’s heavens, but the earth he has given to the children of man. The dead do not praise the Lord, nor do any who go down into silence. But we will bless the Lord, from this time forth and forevermore. Praise the Lord!

Psalm 115:12-18

Want to personalize this Psalm? (And I strongly encourage you to!) Pray it, changing the pronouns and the names. For example: Oh Lord, you have remembered me, you will bless me, you will bless my house, you will bless me because I fear you, as you bless both the small and the great. You get the point.

Our God is in the heavens. Aren’t you glad!